Pages

Monday, January 23, 2012

Dear new runner: An open letter

Congratulations on your decision to go on this uncomplicated yet complex journey of running. Lace up your sneakers and charge up your iPod, you're in for an exciting and challenging road ahead.

This is the letter that the runner I've become would've written to the "running hater" I once was.

Listen, I know it's hard at first. That's why you rock. It's hard but you're gonna do it anyway. Others talk about it, but you're doing it. This already makes you a winner. You might have to walk/run, keep your distance short, take it slow and experiment with running on a treadmill/track or outside. In fact please concentrate on not over-doing it in the early days. The worst thing you can do is injure and burn yourself out. When in doubt, it couldn't hurt to 'under-do' it even. I'd rather you come back from a five minute run feeling energized, accomplished and excited to do it again than do a 25 minute run feeling miserable and defeated.

Go sign up for a race. Seriously. Don't let it freak you out. Pick a 5K for 3 months from now (sooner or later based on your fitness level) plunk down your money and sign up. Right now. Go. I will still be here. Don't think about it - just do it.

Found one? Good. Now tell everyone about it. Go post it on Facebook, Tweet it. This is your "official" start to your running life. Congrats. Start your "5K" training program. There are several out there. You see, there's something about setting a definite goal that makes your running moving forward and it helps keeps you motivated, "I have to run today, I'm training." To this day, I need to have a race on the schedule to help keep me progressing.

As a beginner, you might feel a little soreness in your back, your muscles or even your knees and ankles. I did. A little soreness (especially if you're carrying excess weight) isn't unusual. Do not confuse soreness with injury. Follow the R.I.C.E method and if you suspect injury, see a doc.

You should go to a running store as soon as you can and get proper running shoes. Please believe me that this is not the place to cheap out. I literally tried to run in Payless "running sneakers" and learned very quickly that this was a BAD IDEA. If you don't live near a running store - you can learn here how to figure out a good running sneaker for you.

Please don't compare yourself to other runners. I started by running at a 4.0 on the treadmill and would eye people that were flying at unfathomable speeds. This is your training. It will be your race. Your journey. You'll always be slower than someone else and right now you are faster than the guy on the couch on his second bag of Doritos!

Running can support your weight loss journey but running does not give you a license to eat. Focus on fueling yourself with healthy foods, don't over-do extra calories or you won't see a loss if that's what you are looking for.

The running community is AWESOME. Support is EVERYWHERE. Go online and look for running bloggers, follow runners on twitter, Join running communities at places like DailyMile and Runners World. Connect, ask questions and join the club.

You are a real runner! Whether it takes you 15 minutes to run that mile or 6 minutes - you are a runner. Don't "weight" to get out there - who cares if you're not the fastest in the pack. Don't think you have to wait to be 20 pounds less to run. You can do it. Here's a very inspirational story of someone who started at 349 pounds - a guest post on "Runs For Cookies." (Slim Katie has a pretty inspiring story herself.)

As John Bingham says, Whether you are the first or last across a finish line, it's the same finish line!! Get out there and be proud of you! You have to be your own biggest cheerleader. You are a rockstar. Believe it.

Finally, you might not love it today. You might not love it tomorrow but someday you're going to wake up and crave running. Your life will be changed. You will find fitness, what 'runners high' is all about, confidence and passion. You will find out that you can go further than you thought. You will learn that you're tougher than you ever gave yourself credit for. Your world's of "I cant's will change to I cans."

You will find the indescribable joy of setting goals and accomplishing them. The thrill of the finish line.

I'm so happy for you. Enjoy your journey and see you out there.

"Everyone is an athlete. But some of us are training, and some of us are not." -Dr. George Sheehan

I really love this post. I've recently started running (within the past few months) and at first it was hard for me to run 90 seconds, and this morning for my "quick" workout I ran a mile and felt great. I just decided to run the OKC 1/2 Marathon and I'm so excited to have a new goal to work towards!

I just subscribed to your blog last week and I love reading your posts.

love love love this post! I'm a wannabe runner (going again this evening!) and it's refreshing to hear thoughts from someone who was in my position not so long ago :) so thank you for this post! and congrats on all of your success!

Thank you so much! I'm a new runner. Still doing walk/runs. This morning was the longest I've ever ran at 4 minutes at a time. I'm doing a program through a local running store. It was so intimidating to go into the store and sign up, but I'm so glad I did! I know that the first time I run a mile, I too, will ugly cry like I just won Boston!

The part about signing up for a race? Couldn't agree more. I'd started - and cancelled - the C25k program twice before I finally signed up for a 5k race. That gave me the motivation to finish the training - which I did, and subsequently finished the race. Now I have two half marathons under my belt and I'm running my third in March. It's amazing how much a financial commitment can encourage you to keep going haha

(Also amazing? The feeling you get when you cross the finish line. I hope that never gets old)

I have just started running and have really enjoyed your blog as well as two others. Your blogs have inspired me to start running again. I read for a good 2 months before I was ready to start. I would tell my husband, "I think I'm gearing up to start running. I'm not ready yet, but I can feel it coming on."Well, I just completed my 4th run today!This post is excellent and is just the motivation I need. I'm still trying to figure all this out, and your blog (as well as others) have really given me some great info!Thank you!!

Even the 'natural' athlete has to start somewhere and as the person who fit that bill I could not run a mile the first time I tried but instead jogged for 1/4 mile, then walked 1/4 mile, then jogged 1/4 mile, then walked and went home.

Before you know it you are fitter, faster and in a better mood too.....

Great post! I actually can't remember not being a runner...but I can still relate to the "you might not love it today"... because I still have those days...but in the bigger picture I crave it just like you said.

A relatively "new runner" here and I really needed to read this. My last couple outings have sucked and I woke up last night aching and not able to go back to sleep. I try to push on and focus on the fact that fitness is not something you gain overnight. But it is frustrating and it is nice to be reminded that eventually I might get a little faster and even if I don't - I can still cross that finish line (just will take longer).

Fantastic post! I love the part about maybe not loving it at first, but eventually. I think this is so true. I can remember way back to when I started and not really liking it that much. Now I can't live w/o it!

Hi Jen. As I read your letter I started feeling rather emotional. Why? because I wish I knew all this before I started running. Well It's been 8 weeks into my 'attempt' and I've already been sidelined by an overuse injury. So now I know what I have to do, I'm taking it slower and paying attention to what I do when I run. Thanks so much for your encouragement.

Hi Jen. As I read your letter I started feeling rather emotional. Why? because I wish I knew all this before I started running. Well It's been 8 weeks into my 'attempt' and I've already been sidelined by an overuse injury. So now I know what I have to do, I'm taking it slower and paying attention to what I do when I run. Thanks so much for your encouragement.

A fully-committed, highly-experienced anti-runner myself, I recently signed up for my first ever half marathon (The Edinburgh Rock and Roll Half) and am slowly discovering this funny new world they call running.

I love this! I have been running for a week and a half and this gives me some hope. I have alot of soreness in my knees that is concerning me. Will this go away after my body becomes more accustomed to running?

I know that this comment is long after the original post, but I want to share how important your letter is, at least to me. Just a few months ago I topped 300 lbs on the scale, living an academic and highly sedentary lifestyle. I just lost three of my closest friends over the course of the last four months, and for all the reasons you could guess at I started walking, from two to three to now four miles a day, four days a week, with a little jogging thrown in recently. I'm down to 278 this morning, trying to keep an eye on carbs as well.

I've just recently been entertaining the notion of running in a marathon four years from now as a 50th birthday present to myself, and had almost succeeded in relegating the thought to being a pipe dream. Reading your letter added a whole different level of excitement to possibilities. Thank you.

I just came across your blog and have been truly inspired. I started my journey about 3 months ago and will be running my first 5k in June. I can barely run a mile today, but I am committed to reaching my goal. Thank you for writing this letter. It reminds me of all the reasons I am on the journey and that it is worth it.

Great post. I'm a new runner but still want to run indoors because of my weight. Have you ever used any treadmills? I'm trying to find one and not sure which is a good one. I found sites like http://stationarymile.com/that give advice on ones, but wanted to know what you think...Thanks!

Me :)

About Me

Sick of always "talking" about stuff to "someday" do, I made an impulsive but life changing decision. In Feb. 2010, I signed up to run a 1/2 marathon. I had never run a minute before and was still 50 pounds overweight but went for it anyway. I trained, found support from friends and blogged - on May 2, 2010 at the Jersey Shore, I did it! I found a passion I never expected and have gone on to run dozens of road races (several 5ks, 10ks, half marathons and one full marathon.) In 2013 I tried my first sprint tri and in August 2014 I completed my first Olympic distance. There have been ups and downs along the way but I'm always looking for the next finish line